The Republican has “served with distinction as minority leader in the state Senate,” The Globe states. “Tisei’s mix of libertarianism and fiscal conservatism makes an excellent blueprint for New England Republicans. Even as the national Republican Party veered to the right during Tisei’s years on Beacon Hill, he avoided hot-button social issues and instead staked out a common-sense, reform-oriented direction for the Senate GOP caucus.”

Tisei is an exemplar of bipartisanship. And while Globe editors don’t like his opposition to Obamacare, he “isn’t in denial about problems with the current healthcare system,” they write. “There’s longstanding evidence of Tisei’s willingness to defy his party and even public sentiment at key points. He voted against rolling back the state income tax from 5.3 percent to 5 percent because he didn’t think the state could afford to do so.”

As for Tierney, he shouldn’t be punished for his brother-in-law’s involvement in the gambling business or the fact that his wife was paid handsomely for handling the brother-in-law’s money, The Globe says.

“Yet his insistence that he knew nothing about the matter strains credulity. And his efforts to fend off inquiries into the subject — for instance, by trying to stage-manage how the issue might be discussed in debates — seem high-handed and disrespectful of voters’ legitimate concern.”

Real Clear Politics rates the race leaning to Tierney. But the only poll it lists, taken by The Globe Sept. 21-27, shows Tisei ahead 37 to 31 percent. And based on that poll, The Washington Post last week moved the race from leaning Democratic to toss-up.